Corn-planter.



No. 845,000. y PATENTED FEB. 20, 1907. G. K. SGHAUER.

CORN PLANTERl APPLIOATION FILED 11011.17. 1005.

5 SHEETS-011.1111: 1.

No. 845,200. PATENTBD FEB. 26, 1907.

' G. K. SGHAUER.

CORN PLANTER.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 17'I 1905.

5 SHEETBSHEET 2.

m 4 @Hoz-n m PATENTED PEB. 26, 1907.

G. K. SCHAUER. CORN PLANTER.

APPLIUATION FILED Nov.1v, 190s.

5 SHEETS-s112111 a.

@Vi Emana:

110.845,20@ PATENTED PEB. 26, 17907.

. G. K. SGHAUER.

CORN PLANTER. APPLIoATIoN FILED Nov. 17. 1905.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

31 I van Foz No. 845,200. PATENTBD FEB. 26,v 1907.

. G. K. SGHAUER.

CORN PLANTER.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 17. 1905.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 5.

@wit-@mu v f arrow,

lUivrrnn s'rA'riasF lieurljnntl OFFICE.

GEORGE K. SCHAUER, OF OSBORN, OHIO.

GORNFPLANTEB.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE K. SCHAUER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Osborn, in the county of Greene and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Corn-Pl anters, of which the following is a s ecification, reference being had therein to t e accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to corn-planters, and more particularly to the dropping mechanism thereof.

In thejplanting of corn as now practiced it is sometimes deemed desirable to drop the corn from the seedbox or hopper when the rains are lyingin a ilat position, which is own as the flat drop," while under other conditions it is desired to drop th corn from the seedboX or hopper when the grains are in a vertical or upright position, resting on their edges, which is known as the edge rlllie primary object of my invention is to provide a simple and efficient construction whereby the machine may be used either for flat dropping or edge dropping, being readily convertible from one form to the other.

A further object of my invention is to provide means whereby the parts of the dropping mechanism may be rendered readily accessible for the purpose of converting the machine from one form of dropping to the other or for any other urpose without involving the necessity ofP emptying the corn from the seedbox or hopper.

Further objects of the invention are to improve the construction of the machine in various respects, hereinafter referred to.

To these ends my invention consists in certain novel features which will I now proceed to describe and will then particularly point out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a sectional view of a part of a corn-planter,

showin to much thereof as is necessary for an un erstan-iing of my present invention. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the base plate or ring of the hopper detached. Fig. 3 is an inverted plan view of the driving member of the dropping mechanism detached. Fig. 4 is an inverted view of the seed plate or ring, detached. Fig. 5 is a central vertical longitudinal sectional view taken through the hopper and dropping 'mechanismshowing the same arranged for edge dropping. Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 5,*showing the machine arranged for flat dropping. Fig. 7 is a Specification of Letters Patent. Application filed November 17, 1905- Serial No. 287,778.

Patented Feb. 26, 1907.

plan section taken on a line corresponding with the line x of Fig. 5 and'looking in the direction of the arrows. Fig. A8 is a plan section taken on a line corresponding to the line y y of Fig. 6 and looking in the direction of the arrows. Fig. 9 is a plan view showing the hopper and base-plate swung back from the support, this being the initial ste of the operation of getting access to the ropping mechanism. Fig. 10 is a side elevation of what is shown in Fig. 9. Fig. 11 is a view showing the next step of said operation with the base-plate and' the parts carried thereby swung back into their first position, so as to be readily accessible. Fig. 12 is a detail view, being a vertical section through one of the cutofl's and ejectors and the associated parts, and Fig. 13 is a detail sectional view taken on the line z .c of Fig. 3 and looking in the direction of the arrows.

In the said drawings, 1 indicates the sho'e of the runner or furrow-opener, and 2 the seedtube thereof, which supports the hopper and dropping mechanism through the medium of a support 3, mounted on the top of the seedtube. To this support there is hi ed the base-plate 4, (shown in detail inliFig. 2,)

which comprises a flat annular body 5, havmg at its margin an upwardly-extending ange or ring 6. This base-plate is provided side the base-plate is provided with a secure ing-lug 10, by means of which it may be secured to a corresponding lug 11 on the other end of the support 3. This connection is preferably effected by providing a slot 12 in the lug 10, which slot is en aged by a pivoted screw-bolt 13, carried by tie lug 11 andvhaving a clamping thumb-nut 14. This baseplate is provided withv a dropping-aperture 15, arranged to register with the seed-tube and with the droppi -openings of the seed- Sis plate, hereinafter re erred to. Said baseplate is further provided with a central bearing stud or post 16', supported by arms 17 from the annular body 5 lof the plate. In the present instance these arms are shown as depressed below the body of the plate, being connected therewith by upright portions 18, and three of said arms are shown, the fourth being omitted to leave a. clear space for the IIO operation of the paWl-bearing arm hereinafter referred to. The bearing-stud 16 is preferably upwardlyT tapering in form, as shown, and its upper end is preferably squared or polygonal in form, as indicated at 19.

The base-plate 4 supports the driving member 20, (shown in detail in Fig. 3 of the drawings,) 'which in its preferred form comprises a ratchet-wheel 21, a steering-ring 22, and connectingspokes 23. The ratchetwheel fits within the central aperture of the base-ring 4, below the body of which it projects, as shown, and said ratchet-wheel has a centrall bearing-sleeve 24, which fits vupon the bearing-stud 16. The body* of the ratchet-wheel extends above the base-plate 4 to aheight equal to the height of the body portion of the seedplate or ring, hereinafter referred to, and the s okes 23 extend outward from the body o the ratchet-wheel at a height such that their under sides arefon a level' with and bear upon the upper'surface of the body 5 of the base-plate. The ring22 extends upward from theouter ends of the.

spokes 23 and fits against the inner face of the ring 6 of the base-plate. An intermittent rotatory motion is imparted vtopthis driving member by any suitable mechanism-such, for instance, as that shownein which a rock-shaft 'is provided with an arm 26,.connected by links 27 with a vibrat ing pawl-bearing arm 28, which carries a f pawl 29 to engage-the teeth of the ratchetwheel 21.

30'indicatesthe seed ,plate or ring, which is shown in detail in Fig. 4 of the drawings.

It fits in the space between the ring-body 22 and that portion of the body of the ratchetwheel 21 which extends above the baseplate body 5. The spokes 23 thus lie between the seed-plate and said body 5. This seedfplate is provided with two sets of dropping-openings, one for flat dropping and the other for edge dropping. The former set consists of anI annular series of apertures 31 of a size such ylas to admit flatwise the largest grains of corn. These apertures are preferably circular in form and are located inward from the outer` mar in of the seed-plate. On the under side of t e plate there is-formed', aroundthe margin of each aperture 31, a downwardly-extending,flange 32, which extends downward a distance sufficient to bear n upon the upper surface ofthe body 5 of the base-plate. The total depth of each aperture 31, including the thickness of the plate and the depth of the Harige, is such as to prevent the lodgment 'therein of more than one grain of corn 'at a time, so that by the assistance of the .cut-ofi', hereinafter referred to, each aperture' will inpractice contain only a sin le rain of corn lying in a flat position. T e angesj or ribs 32 support the body of the plate above the base-plate in such away. as to prevent the accumulation of trash between the two, and consequent clo ging and lifting of the seed-plate. The spo es 23 of the driving member 20 are of a width such as to fitin the space between the flanges 32 of two adjacent apertures, so that this engagement causes the seed-plate to rotate alonr with the driving member.

'lhe'otzher'set of dropping-openings employed for edge dropplng, are indicated at 33. They are formed in the outer margin of the plate and are of a length such as to-accommodate the largest grains of corn, while their vv idth from their inner walls to the circumference of the seed-plate is sufficiently narrow to prevent the grains of corn from lying flatvs ise therein, while permitting them to enter and lie edgew ise. 'l hese openings are preferably inthe form of notches orl recesses, the outer walls of which are formed by the ring- 22, which rotates in unison with the seed-plate, or by any other suitable annular abutment for the outer margin of said plate. I prefer to form the end portions of the outer walls from the body of the seed-plate, as indicated at 34, as I find that s uch a construe-./g

said ring is increased in thickness, so asto,

form an annular shoulder 35 :for the-purpose hereinafter specified.

3.6 indicates the body of the ho per, whichr yis provided at its upper end wit a sultable.

closure, not shown 1n the present instance, although any of the numerous ap roved forms of closure for this purpose may e employed. l At its lower end said body is provided with a ring or band 38, which fits' over the base-plate r1n 6. s 'Ihe rin 38 is provided with pivot-Iugs 39, whic lie immediatelyinside of-and parallel with the pivotlugs 7 of the base-plate 4, said pivot-lugs 39 serving to connect the supporting-ring ofthe hopper to the pivot-bolt 8. 'lhe hopperbody is thus pivoted to the support 3 lndependently of the baselate. On the 4side opposite to that on whic the pivot-lugs are locatedthe ring 38 is provided with a lockinglug 39a. Since thel hopper and.base.p1ate IOO llO

swing over together during. thefirst step of v opening up the mechanism in the. manner hereinafter described, it may be desirable to provide a separate detachablev ,connection etween said parts, and I propose to employ for this purpose a bail 40, pivoted tothe lug- 10 and adapted to engage over a 41 on the lug 39, and thereby lloc per andbase-plate together. By swlnglng this bail outward it may be disengaged from lprojection the projection 41, thereby releasing the b aseplate and permitting it to be swung back-into,v

the hopits original position independently ofthe..

hopper.

`When it is desired to use the machine for edge dropping, I provide means for covering the flat-dropping apertures 31, so that the corn in the hopper canl have access only to the edge-dropping apertures 33. The mechanism as arran ed for edge dropping is shown in Figs. and 7 In this construction a late 42 is employed, fitting over and covering the central port-ion of' the dropping mechanism, so as to be interposed between the corn within the body of the hopper and the dropping-apertures 31. Said plate is referably supported at its center upon the caring-stud 16, having for this purpose an aperture 43, which fits the reduced polygonal end 19 thereof. 'Ihe marginal portion of the plate 42 for the greater portion of its extent terminates immediately inward from the drop ing-openings 33, downward toward whic it is inclined, as indicated at 44. Thls plate is provided adjacent to the dischargelopening of the base-plate with a housing 45,.in which are mounted a cut-oi 46 and a combined ejector and detent 47. These parts are shown in detail in Fig. 12 of the drawings. The cut-off 46 is pivoted between its ends at 48 in the plate 42 and ring 6, and one end of said cut-off bears upon the grain-plate in a position such that the openings 33 pass under the same. The ejector 47 is similarly pivoted between the plate and ring at 49 and extends down into the' openings 33 as they successively pass beneath it, being provided with a shoulder 50` to prevent reverse motion of the seed-plate. A spring 51, interposed between the ejector and the upper end of the cut-01T, Jforces both of them ldownwardtoward the seed-plate,

. while the housing prevents them trombeing clogged by the grain. In advance of the cut-off and its housing the plate 42 is deflected laterally inward, as indicatedat 52, thus forming a space between the said plate and that ortion ofthe structure on the outer side vof tlhe path of the openings 33, into which space the grains oi corn which are intercepted by the cut-oi may recede laterally without crushing or clogging'at this point.

To facilitate this action, the bevel of the edge of the plate 42 is given'a more gradual inclination, as indicated at 53. It will be understood that the cut-off permits only a single grain to enter each opening 33,V in which it lies edgewise, and that the ejector serves to positively force said grain through said opening when the same registers with the discharge-o ening 15 of the base-plate,

which lies elow the ejector. A portion of the housing is shown as connected to the base-ring 38 of the hopper-body, so as ,to swing with the hopper and permit the latter to clear that portion of the housing which is carried by the plate 42. I.

It is desirable to give the marginal portion of the plate 42 a shape such as'will insure the shifting of the position ofthe grains of corn as they travel around in the comparatively narrow space between the plate 42 and ring 22, so that they may eventually assume a position such as to insure their droppin edgewise into the openings 33. To this en the late 42 is provided about opposite the disc arge-point with a relief-space 54, at

which the beveled edge 44 of said plate recedes from the ring 22, forming a recess or pocket, the bottom of which is formed by a flat portion 55 of the plate 42 lying flush with the outer raised portion of the seedplate 30. This gives the grains of corn anl opportunity to shift ltheir position, so that if they have not already entered the openings 33 they may be in better position to do so after the shifting caused by the relief-space. To further this end, that portion ot' the bevel 44 which lies beyond the relief-space 54 with respect to the travel of the seed-plate has a much steeper inclina-tion than that portion of said bevel or incline which lies in advance of said relief-space, thus tending to hold the grains more in an edgewise vertical position to better insure their entrance into the openings 33. Y

It sometimes occurs that two grains of corn enter the feed-openings and are carried thro'.2 gh under the housing without being discharged. In order to prevent these grains from binding against the plate 42 as they emerge from the housing, thereby requiring excessive power to operate the seed-plate as well as tending to crack or break the grains, the margin of the plate 42 is relieved or cut back at the point where the seed-plate emerges from the housing, as indicated at 56. This space gives the grains a chance to escape and avoids the presence. of va sharp corner, which might tend to crack the grains.

In order to prevent the plate 42 and its connected parts from becoming displaced when'they are inverted along with the hopper, lsaid plate is detachabl-y secured to the post or bearing-stud 16 in any suitable manner. As shown, the reduced marginal end of the stud extends above the top of the plate 42 a distance sufficient to receiye a washei` 57 and split pin 58 for this purpose.

When it is desired to use the mechanism for iat dropping, '(see Figs. 6 and 8,) provision is made for a plate which will cover they edge-dropping openings 33 in such a way as to prevent the grain from having access toA IOO erence-numeral 59) has a bodyportion 60 in the form of a ring or vannzlus which iits against the shoulder 35 at its lower inner edge and extends thgnce o'ltward and upward to the defming-wall of the space within tent 63, operated by a spring 64, these parts f being sinilar to the cut-otf and ejector 46 and 47, with the exception that they are of greater width on account of the greater width of the openings 31 and that their pivots are mounted wholly in the plate 59 in-` stead of partly in the ring 6. Their mode of operation and fiinctions are the same as those of the corresponding parts 46 and 47. The plate 59 also comprises a central portion 65, which is apertured at 66 to fit over the squared reduced end 19 of the bearing stud or post 16, to which it is secured by the washer 57 and pin 58, already described. The portion of the plate 59 is extended o1'V tw ard over the top of the driving member and over the inner edge of the seed-plate, as indicated at 67, and the forward edge of this extension, being that edge which is presented to the corn as it is carried aroz nd, is inclined outward in a curve which extends inthe general direction of movement of the seedplate, said edge acting to carry the grains outward and direct them to the feedingapertrres 31 in order to better insure the entrance of the grains into said apertures.

It will be 'seen that the plates by means of which the change in the character of the feed is effected, which plates may be termed occlusive plates, since they shut off Vor close the feeding-apertures which they control, are placed in position and removed from above, and the same is true of the seed plate or ring, which, under certain conditions, it may be desirable to change for a seed-plate 'having a different number of feeding-apertures or otherwise different from the one in use. To avoid the necessity of emptying the corn from the hopper when these changes are eii'ected, the hopper is made to swing over into inverted position, in the mannerv already described. Since, however, the corn would nevertheless escape during this operation unless the hopper is closed at the bottom as well as at the top, I cause the base-plate and the parts which it supports, all of which, considered together, constitute the bottom of the hopper, to swing over with the hopper when the latter is inverted. This operationis illustrated in Figs. 9 and 10, which show the hopper thus invert-ed with the base-plate connected thereto. The base-plate is then disconnected from the hopper by swinging out the bail 40 in the manner already described, and the base-plate is then turned back to its original position, as shown in Fi 1 1. All of the parts are now readily accessible, and the occlus'ive plates and seedlate can be readily changed, as desired.- ter these changes have been effected the base- 7 plate is then swun back again over the hopper and connected to the same,- whereupon the hopper and base-plate are finally swim back into normal position and there secure by the means provided for that purpose.

'It will be seen that I have provided a simple and eflicient mechanism for dropping the ains of corn either edgewise or flat, as-may e desired, without involving the necessity of providing 'separate plates for the two styles of dropping. It will also be seen that the change from one style of dropping to the other can be readily eected by the simple removal of one plate and the substitution of another and that it is not necessary to remove the seed-corn from the hopper to effect these changes. Special provision has also been made for insuring the proper entrance ofN the rains of corn into the feeding-apertures oilg the seed-plate and for preventing injury to said'grains. It should be noted in this connection that the ring 22, carried by the driving member, serves in an obvious manner to stir up the grains of corn and aids in carryingthem around within the hopper. I do not wish to be understood as limiting myself to the precise details of construction hereinbefore described, and shown in the accompanyin drawings, as it is obvious that these detai s may be varied without departin from the principle of my invention.

aving thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a cornplanter,the combination,with a seed-hopper, of a seed-plate provided with two sets of apertures of dierent widths, one

relatively wide set for iiat dropping and one relatively narrow set for edge dropping, and separate means for covering either the one or the other of said sets, substantially as described.

2. In a corn-planter, the combination, with a seed-hopper, of a seed-plate provided with two annular sets of apertures of diHerent widths arranged atA different distances from Y the axis of said plate, and means for covering at will either of said sets of apertures to prevent the corn from having access thereto,

substantially as described.

3. In a corn-planter, the combination, with and a seed-hopper, of a seed-plate having mar nal recesses open at the periphery of t e plate, and a driving member on. which said seed-plate' is removably supported, said plate and driving member rotating in unison,

said driving member having an` upwardly extending which said seed-plate fits, said flange extending above the seed-plate and forming a rotating wall moving in unison therewith, substantially as described.

5. In a corn-planter, the combination, with a seed-hopper, of a seed-plate having marginalrecesses open at the periphery of the plate, said plate having portions extending toward each other ateach side of the open side of said recesses, and a driving member on which said plate is removably supported, said plate and driving member rotating in unison, and saiddriving member having an upwardly-extending marginal flange Within which said plate fits, said flange extending 'access of' the corn to either set above said plate and forming a rotating wall moving 1n unison therewith, substantially as described.

6. In a corn-planter, the combination, with a seed-plate having two annular sets of apertures of different widths, a relatively wide set for fiat dropping and a relatively narrow set for edge dropping, said sets being located at different distances i'rom the axis of rotation of the plate, of interchangeable occlusive plates adapted to be removably 'secured in: the hopper above said seed-plate, whereby of apertures may be prevented, substantially as described.

,7. In a corn-planter, the combination, with a hopper, of a seed-plate having two annular vent distances from its axis of rotation,

sets of dropping-apertures arranged `at differ an interchangeable occlusive plates adapted to VA'be detachably secured in the hopper above said seed-plate to close either of said sets of apertures, each occlusive plate being provided with a cut-olf and ejector arranged to register with thefset of apertures not closed by said plate, substantially as described. y

8. In a corn-planter, the combination, with a support, of a base-plate hinged to said support and carrying on its upper side a seedplate and interchangeable occlusive plates, and a hopper-body having a top closure, separably fitting the base-plate at its lower end, and hinged to swing Lto an inverted position, the base-plate being hinged to swing independentlykof the hopper, substantially as described.

9. In a corn-planter, the combination, 4with a support, of a base-plate hinged to said supportand having seed-dropping devices on its u per side, means p ate to the support, a hop er-body having a top' closure, separably fitting the base-plate at its lower end, and hingedfto swing to an marginal flange within `spokes extending over.`

for securing said base-.-

inverted position, the base-plate being hinged to swing independently of the hopper, and means for detachably connecting said hopper-body and base-plate to each other independently of the connection of the base-'plate to the support, sub antially as described.

' l0. In a cornanter, the combination, with a support having a pivot on one side and a fastening device on t e other, of a baseplate hinged 'to said pivot and having a lug adapted to be engaged by the fastening device, said lug being provided wi th a pivoted bail, and a hopper-body also hinged to said pivot, provided with a top closure and separably fitting the base-plate at its lower end, said hopperbody having a lug adapted to be engaged by the bail, substantially as described.

11. In a corn planter, with a base-plate having a of a driving member having4 a fiat annular bod central bo y the combination,

portion fitting the opening of the base-plate,

the body of the baseand an upwardly-extending marginal ring carried by said spokes, and a seed-plate fitting between said ring and the body of the driving member and en aging the spokes thereof, substantially as escribed.

12. In a corn-planter, the combination, with a base-plate aving a flat annular body, of a driving member having va central body portion fittin the opening of the base-plate, spokes exten ing over the body of the baseplate, and an upwardly-extending marginal ring. carried by said spokes, and a seed-plate tting between said ring and the body ofthe drivin member and engtaging the spokes thereo said seed-plate lianges surrounding its apertures and bearing on the body of the base-plate, between plate,

ICO

aving depending which flanges the spokes of the v member fit, substantially as described.

13. In a corn-planter, the combination, with a seed-plate aving marginal droppingopenings, and a cut-off, of a non-rotating plate covering the central portion of the seed-plate and having a downwardly-inclined margin openings hereof, said non-rotating plate being provided with a relief-recess adjacent to the cut-off, substantially as described.

14. In a corn-planter, the combination, with a seed-plate having marginal droppingopenings, of a non-rotating plate covering the central portion of the seed-plate and having an inclined margin adjacent to the droppingopenings thereof, said non-rotating plate adjacent to the droppinghaving a relief-recess in its'marginal portion opposite the discharge-point, substantially as described.

15. In a corn-planter, the combination, with a seedlate having marginal droppingopenings, o' a non-rotating plate covering the central portion ofthe seed-plate and 'having an inclined` margin adjacent to the dropping-openings thereof, said non-rotating plate .having a relief-recess 1n its marginal portion opposite the discharge-point, the 1nclinationfof the margin of said plate being ,relatively small in advance of said recess and relatively abrupt beyond said recess, sub stantially as described.

16. In a corn-planter, the combination,

, with a seed-plate having marginal droppingopenings, and a housing containing a cut-off, of a non-rotating plate covering the central portion of said seed-plate and having its margin located adjacent to the dropping-openings thereof, the margin of said plate having a release-recess adjacent to the side ofthe housing from which the seed-plate issues, substantially as described.

17. A seed-plate provided with two sets of openings of different widths, one arelatively w1de set for -iiat dropping and the other a relatively narrow elongated set for edge Y dropping, substantially as described.

18. A seed-plate provided with two sets of openings of different widths, one a relatively` wide set for Hat dropping, in the form of aper GEORGE K.' SCHAUER. Witnesses E. O. HAGAN, F. W. SGHAEFER. 

